Finishing third in the session for the second time today was Mercedes' Michael Schumacher, who is clearly finding his new chassis and a host of upgrades to his car more to his taste following several lacklustre performances in the season's opening four 'fly-away' races. His team-mate, Nico Rosberg, was seventh.

In his home grand prix, Ferrari's Fernando Alonso was the fourth fastest runner and team-mate Felipe Massa managed the eighth fastest time.

The McLarens of Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button couldn't match their strong showing in the morning's session and finished fifth and ninth fastest respectively.